Marks of a true church

1. Ecclesiology Doctrine of the church Marks of a true church Faithfully preaching the Word Properly administering the sacraments Exercising church discipline

2. Sacraments / Ordinances Baptism Lord’s Supper

3. Paedobaptism Baptism of infant children Credobaptism Baptism of professing believers

4. Paedobaptism Baptism is a sacrament…ordained by Jesus Christ, not only for the solemn admission of the party baptised into the visible Church; but also, to be unto him a sign and seal of the covenant of grace, of his ingrafting into Christ, of regeneration, of remission of sins, and of his giving up unto God through Jesus Christ, to walk in newness of life. Not only those that do actually profess faith in and obedience unto Christ, but also the infants of one or both believing parents, are to be baptised Westminster Confession Chapter 28

5. Paedobaptism

6. Credobaptism Baptism is an ordinance….ordained by Jesus Christ, to be unto the party baptized, a sign of his fellowship with him, in his death and resurrection; of his being engrafted into him; of remission of sins; and of giving up into God, through Jesus Christ, to live and walk in newness of life. Those who do actually profess repentance towards God, faith in, and obedience to, our Lord Jesus Christ, are the only proper subjects of this ordinance. 1689 Baptist Confession Chapter 29

7. Credobaptism

9. An important principle Baptism …is only a sign …does not save

11. An important distinction The visible church The invisible church

12. WHAT DOES BAPTISM SIGNIFY?

13. John the Baptist Mark 1:4 John came, baptising in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

14. Matthew 28:19-20 Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

15. Acts 2:38-39 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off - for all whom the Lord our God will call."

16. Mode or method Immersion (and emersion) Sprinkling Pouring (effusion / affusion)

17. Water…symbolises cleansing

18. Immersion and emersion Symbolises union with Christ in his death and resurrection

19. Romans 6:3-4 Don't you know that all of us who were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

20. Colossians 2:11-12 In him [Christ] you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.

21. Sprinkling and pouring Symbolises the pouring out of the Holy Spirit from above

22. Acts 2:38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

23. WHO SHOULD BE BAPTISED?

24. Matthew 28:19-20 Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

25. Acts 2:38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

26. Acts 2:41 Those who accepted his message were baptised and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

27. Baptism in Acts Samaritans (Acts 8:12) Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:35-38) Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9:18) Cornelius (Acts 10:44-48)

28. Arguments for paedobaptism There is no explicit command in the Bible to baptize children. There is not a single instance in which we are plainly told that children were baptized. Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology, p632

29. Arguments for paedobaptism Continuity with OT (Covenant) Household baptisms in Acts Acts 2:38-39

30. Acts 2:38-39 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off - for all whom the Lord our God will call."

31. If it is proper to administer baptism to infants then the import of baptism must be the same for infants as for adults. It cannot have one meaning for infants and another for adults. John Murray, Christian Baptism (1962), p48

32. Some questions to consider How long should we wait after a profession of faith before we baptise?

33. Some questions to consider What is the lowest age at which children professing faith should be baptised?

34. Some questions to consider Are children baptised as infants to be treated any differently from unbaptised children?